Etrian fortress
by anothga
Summary: Mercenaries travel to another dimension. Little did they knew that they were to enter the Labyrinth itself.
1. Abbreviation of the day

**Dictionary (read this before the rest of this ff):**

**P.R.A.G. - Parallel Reality Access Gate, not in actual games**

**A.C.E.R. - Automatic Colored Enemy Recognition, device used in sentry guns for enemy recognition, not in actuall games**

**P.U.T.S. - Parallel Universe Traveller Squad, people that are to use P.R.A.G., not in actuall game**

**Australium - fictional element, entire fictional technology is based on it, Team fortress 2**

**Author's note:**

**I hope this FF will be successful than my previous two, which got deleted because I was too lazy tu update them.**

Part 1

Scene 1

_P.R.A.G. Finally finished._

Engineer smiled as he was looking at his creation, giant ring that's run by big machine (description is given "in a nutshell"). They both are, in turn, powered by Australium. No other element on Earth can satisfy the needs of this invention.

_Eleven months. I hope that raise is going to occur as promised._

He pressed the button on the intercom on the wall near him.

"Ma'am? It's ready."

"Great", young female voice replied. "I'll notify the Administrator."

Scene 2

_P.R.A.G.?_ The Administator wondered. _I swear, if someone from Research and development team makes any more silly __acronyms like this... First, it was A.C.E.R., then P.U.T.S. and now P.R.A.G. Seriously, those people are too creative for their own good._

"Excellent news, miss Paulings" she said to her young assistant. "Mobilize the P.U.T.S. and tell mister Conagher to activate the machine according the instruction given to him and then await future instructions."

"Yes, of course."

Miss Paulings nodded and left the room.

Scene 3

"I am to do WHAT?" Engineer asked. "But I am the one that knows how to operate this thing the best."

"Yes, but these are the Administator's explicit orders. You are to travel with the rest of P.U.T.S. They have one empty place and you'll fill it. You're our best engineer, therefore, you are the best choice for case if some unknown technology appears on the other side of the gate. Don't worry, you _will_ be replaced by the skillful person."

"I hope so, miss, I hope so. I want to be able to return at one moment."

"Of course."

Engineer turned to the control panel of the P.R.A.G. and setting it up before saying:

"Everything seems to be alright." He looked at the rest of the squad. "I just hope we won't be killed at sight."


	2. Sword and sorcery

**Scene one**

_This... isn't going as I planned_, Inai thought. _We shouldn't have rushed so much to fight Fenrir._

-Tomica, where's that Medica?- he yelled at the Medic.

-I used it on Tzhem one minute ago- blond-haired girl replied.

-Use your own knowledge, for crying out loud. Andre, where's the flame?- he then yelled at the Alchemist.

-My technique has been depleted- was the reply.

-Use the potion.-

-We don't have any!-

_Oh, cra..._

Then, the roar. Fenrir was just preparing for another attack.

_There isn't any other thing that I can think about._

-Retreat! RETREAT! Tzhem, use the Warp wire. Now!-

**Scene two**

Radha's chieftain was reading the report for the fourth time in a row. Not that it would make the situation mentioned in it any better.

Title of the report was: "Unexplained energy detected in Yggdrasil."

_How could it be? All of **that** lies deep under the Yggdrasil. How can something like this happen? If someone even somehow managed to bring something of it to the first strata, nothing was advanced enough to make this._

A person entered the room where the Chieftain was. It was Subaltern Quinn, research coordinator in Radha hall.

-Sir? Members of the Emerald guild have returned. They are all badly injured and Fenrir hasn't been defeated.-

_I knew it. They aren't skilled enough, right now. But they have potential. The potential that has to be removed. This energy might be..._

-Sir?-

-Oh... Sorry, Subaltern. So, the mission was the failure?-

-I'm afraid so.-

-It's not a big deal. Give that mission to some other guild. Preferably guild Destiny.-

-Excuse me? Give the mission to other guild?-

-Yes. There's another mission that requires guild Emerald. Here, take a look at this.-

He handed the report to Subaltern. A moment of silence.

-This is very interesting. Energy that isn't actually the magic. But... Emerald isn't research guild.-

-All types of researchers are already on the spot in Yggdrasil, already looking into what that energy might actually be. I suspect something bad might happen. Emerald will provide... security, if you know what I mean.-

-Yes, yes I do. May I take this to show it to them?-

-Yes, of course.-

Subaltern slightly bowed and left the room.

_This is totally unexpected. To see it on the first strata... The acursed technology._


	3. The first encounter

**Scene one**

Next day, Inai was sitting in the camp located near the spot where the energy has been detected.

_I don't understand. Why did they reassinged us?_ He furiously stood up. _Now, those wacks from Destiny will get all the glory while we sit here and babysit nerds._ He sighed.

Something was heard from behind him. He turned and saw Tomica approaching him.

-Hey. What's up? Shouldn't you be in city?-

-Hi. Guys from Hall sent me here, in case of emergency. They also want me to give you a message. People from Destiny managed to mildly injure Fenrir and kill one third of his pack.- Inai snorted. -But they too got injured. Radha hall has ordered strict training for every guild whose members want to attack Fenrir. Something about not wanting to risk the death of all guilds in the city.-

This time, Inai laughed.

-At least Destiny too is now stuck with boring tasks.-

-So, what's happening here?-

-Meh. Nothing. Others from the guild are located closer to actual spot. Andre hopes of learning something new. Althrough, I don't know what an Alchemist can learn from energy.-

-Who knows?-

**Scene two**

Engineer was making sure everything was OK before he activates the machine. He looked at his team.

It was a standard setup of one mercenary of every class, if he was to include himself. Moreover, he actually knew every one of them.

Big russian, Ivan, that was standing alone was saying goodbyes to... his minigun? Apparently, he had some sort of relationship with it, even naming it 'Sasha'.

_Heh. At least it's a female name_, Engineer humorously thought.

The Administrator allegedly didn't allowed him to take his minigun to the mission.

_I wonder why. Well, at least I can bring my own right hand_, Engi thought, while looking at the Gunslinger, his right robotic fist.

**Scene three**

Inai and Tomica had a friendly talk for some 15 minutes or so by the moment when they heard a racket coming from the direction of where the energy was located.

-What the hell...?- Tomica said, worried.

-C'mon, let's check it out. _Maybe this won't be so boring as I thought._

When they arrived, there definitely was something to see. The energy actually started to take physical shape, but in a way Inai thought to be kinda weird. It was blue and circual in shape, and appeared to be some sort of mist. Researchers were in mess, shocked by this sudden change and trying to judge if it might do something bad. At least, that's what they sounded like, yelling in such a manner at each other and at the circle

-Guys?- Inai tried to get their attention. -What's _that_?-

Some sort of pattern appeared in the part of circle that was touching the floor. There was more than one pattern, or shadow. They all were human-like and in different sizes.

He gasped and immidiatelly reached for his sword as the shadows actually started to go _out_ of the circle. Others from his guild also took their weapons.

**Scene four**

When everything was set, Engineer pressed the red "Activate" button. The ring around the machine started spinning, creating a blue-like vortex inside it. That was the portal the P.U.T.S. was supposed to go through.

_It doesn't look dangerous._ *gulp* _Look._

All nine mercenaries stood in front of it, being joined my Miss Paulings.

-Gentlemen, you have been briefed on your mission. Go there, learn anything new you can and come back.-

-It is desired that you do all that in _one_ piece. You understand?- was heard from the speaker system. It was the Administator herself. Engi smiled.

-Don't worry, ma'am. We won't fail you- Soldier immidiately replied.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll be just like you expect us to be and all that crap. Let's go- Scout tried to rush.

-Mr. Conagher, don't forget to take that returning machine with you.-

-Don't worry, miss. A real engineer never forgets any of his equippment.-

-Good luck, mercenaries- the voice said again.

Nine of them started entering the portal. But Engineer put his left hand inside it before entering. It was cold. And inside of it looked like some sort of blue tunnel.

_Well, I think I'm still alive._

-Where we go?- Heavy asked.

-Just forward, mate. See that light?- said the Sniper.

-Hov convenient. A light at ze end of ze tunnel- Medic noticed. All nine of them laughed.

-Will we just go?-

-Mmphm mmmphhhh mmph hmph- pyro tried to say something.

They stepped out. Air was very fresh. But, something wasn't right. As his fear was just coming true, he noticed what was wrong.

_Ah, hell._

They were surroundered by the people that were pointing their weapons at the team.


End file.
